Support for millinery



Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR IMILLINERY Peter L. Lazarus, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 20,

4 Claims.

In the factory production of millinery, between or following the successive production stages of ladies hats, the units, either. in finished or partly finished state, are carried on or by a branched structure characterized by a plurality of projecting, elongate pegs or arms, each of which is in practice, employed to support an individual finished or semi-finished unit, such as a hat. The heretofore prevailing practice has consisted in the insertion of the hat or hat body over the free outer end of one of such pegs or arms. A prevalent difliculty exists, however, particularly with hats formed, according to prevailing style trends, with an unusually shallow crown, so that the hat structure is only a few inches in depth. The depth of such hats being relatively less than informer designs or styles, this fact has resulted in easy and likely displacement of the hat from its supporting peg, such displacement taking place as the pegged structure, usually a hat tree, is manually transported from place to place'in the factory, or, as frequently happens, is subjected to an air current, resulting in displacement of the hats from their supporting arms or pegs. p

A general object of the invention may be said to consist in the elimination of the difliculty aforesaid; a further object consists in the attainment of improved hat-supporting elements such that the material of the hats, such as felt or straw, is harmlessly frictionally engaged by a supporting disc-like element of appreciable diameter, and without abrasion or tearing damageto'the hat fabric.

A further object of the invention is attained in an arrangement for the purpose noted, in which the auxiliary supporting structures may be applied to existing types of hat trees or particularly the peg elements thereof, without the use of ancillary securing or fastening expedients.

The foregoing and additional objects will more fully and at large appear as the description proceeds, and as considered in connection with the accompanying drawing of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation in perspective of a prevalent type of hat tree, equipped according to the principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a hat-positioning disc, of. a type shown in smaller proportion, in connection with the hat tree of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section of the device of Fig. 2, as viewed along line 33 thereof, and shown as applied over the end'of one of the pegs or arms of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of retaining disc,

1933. Serial No. 652,589

and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a still further modified form of retaining 'disc.

Referring now by numerals of reference to the drawing, a hat tree of prevailing type is shown in Fig. 1 as consisting of crossed base members 6,

centrally apertured to provide a socket for a vertical standard 'I, the base elements being provided with braces 8, for rigidity of construction. The vertical standard '7 is shown as being of square cross section, and each of its lateral faces drilled at evenly spaced vertical intervals as at 9, to provide sockets for the snug frictional reception of hat-supporting pegs 10, each shown as disposed at a substantial angle, 30 degrees, to the horizontal. As thus far described, the tree, including the elements 6, 7 and 10, is or may be of conventional construction. i

By preference, each of the pegs or arms 10 is provided near, say somewhat inwardly of its extreme or free end, with a disc or washer 11, of resilient construction, and centrally apertured as at 12, the aperture permitting the insertion of the disc over the end of the associated peg 10. My preference in placing the disc ll with respect to the pegs is to locate each thereof, say one half or three fourths of an inch, inwardly of the peg end. Proceeding now to a description of the preferred construction of the discs, each thereof is preferably formed of a friction stock, and of a somewhat resilient material, a number of experiments having resulted in the selection of a washer essentially of a somewhat stiff rubber stock, characterized by a reticulate or fabric backing 13 vulcanized onto the body layer 14 of the materiaLthe outer surfaceof which is characterized in the example shown, by, a plurality of parallel transverse corrugations 15. The corrugations, having their termini at the periphery of the disc or washer,result in a plurality of apexed portions or projections 16.

According to my preference the discs or washers 11 are scalloped, the scalloped portions being identified with the concave recesses 17 of Fig. 2 and the convex portions 18 of Fig. 4. As a result of the scalloped construction, there are created a plurality of flexible fingers or points 19 of Fig. 2 and corresponding projecting portions 20 of Fig. 4.

In punching or otherwise forming the openings 12 for insertion over the pegs 10 it is essential for most advantageous use, that the openings 12, when circular, be of somewhat smaller diameter than that of the pegs 10. The material of the discs or washers 11 being susceptible of a certain elasticity or stretch, when introduced over the peg 10, becomes distended, and so frictionally grips the periphery of the peg and retains the disc in place without the necessity of any auxiliary or fastening expedients, such as screws, collars or the like. My further preference in locating the discs with respect to the peg, is to introduce the disc with the fabric surface 13 innermost, the rubber layer of the body 14 of the disc being somewhat more susceptible to stretching than is the fabric base layer thereof. The fact that the aperture 12 is of smaller initial diameter than that of the peg, results in a cupped conformity of the washer after being disposed on the peg, as best indicated by Fig. 3. By disposing the fabric layer innermost, the layer 14 of substantial thickness has its edge portion brought in gripping contact with the peg in such manner that the washer may be readily, manually moved along the peg to the most desirable position, and yet will attain its adjusted relation with certainty.

In the -modified arrangement of Fig. 5, the central opening 21 is shown as being square, but may be of other polygonal form. The self-sustaining feature of the modified form of Fig. 5 is provided for by initially forming the opening 21 of a size such that a side ofthe square opening is somewhat less than the diameter of the peg to be accommodated thereby. The modification of Fig. 5, it will be noted, will appear in section closely similar to the showing of Fig. 3, and is still provided with the peripheral apices characterizing the constructions of Figs. 2 and 4, the holding points being provided in Fig. 5 by the intersection of the ridges of corrugations 22,

with the circular periphery of the disc.

In use, it has been found that the provision of washers or discs of a friction material, preferably of rubber stock, provides a yieldable, resilient structure frictionally engaging the material such as felt, of which the hats are constructed. It has also been determined that the same structures admirably serve their intended purpose when utilized in connection with hats of straw, and of fabrics other than wool or felt. As the hat is inserted over a given peg 10, provided with a washer 11, the crown portion preferably engages at least a part of the-periphery of the washer or disc, and is frictionally retained from slipping from the peg, by the points such as 18, 19 or 22. I am aware, of course, that various forms of metal members have been attempted to be used for this purpose but in most cases the smooth surface of the metal fails properly to engage the surface of the hat material. Due to the small extent of this surface engagement the expedients heretofore resorted to in the trade have been regarded as extremely unsatisfactory.

The free end-of the peglO, which may be of wood,

also coacts with the washer 11 of the present combination when utilized as in Fig. 3, in preventing the individual hat or hat body from sliding or rolling from its position and thus becoming soiled or damaged.

A further advantage of the use of a rubber or rubber-containing stock for the discs 11, is found in the fact that they obviate any hazard of tearing or perforating hat fabrics, as has heretofore been experienced to a certain extent in the use of metal holding devices. Further, the rubber discs or washers of the present invention obviate any hazard of discoloration of hat fabrics, as might result from the use of metal, due to surface corrosion, rusting, etc., of the metal articles.

It will be understood of course that the forms, proportionate sizes, etc., of the illustrated washers or discs, may be varied substantially, within the scope of the appended claims, the example herein described in detail being intended as illustrative of, rather than as limiting the possibilities of the invention.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a hat-positioning disc for insertion over a tree peg and consisting of a centrally apertured rubber body,

formed with a serrate periphery, and provided with a reinforcing backing of fabric.

2. As an article of manufacture, a disc for insertion over one of the pegs of a hat tree'or like millinery support, said disc consisting of a fabric backing, and a rubber body vulcanized to c said backing, the surface of the body opposite the backing, being corrugated, the disc having a central openingof an area smaller than the sectional area of the peg with which it is to be employed, and the said rubber layer being of such elasticity as'yieldably and frictionally to engage the peg'with which it is used.

3. A disc for insertion over a hat tree peg or like millinery support, said disc consisting of a fabric backing and'a rubber body vulcanized to said backing, the disc being provided with a single central opening of an area less than the sectional area of the peg with which ity is to be employed, and the said rubber layer being of such the peg with which it is used.

4. A disc for insertion over a peg of a hat :tree or like millinery support, said disc being of substantially circular shape and provided with a elasticity as yieldably and frictionally to engageill;

serrated margin, the disc being formed ofa fabric 615 backing and a rubber body vulcanized over said backing, the surface of the body opposite the backing being corrugated, the disc having a central opening of an area smaller than the cross sectional area of the peg with which it is' to M1 2 PETER L. LAZARUS. e1 

